Saturday, August 06, 2011

Whew, between a vodka tasting the night before last and a beer garden near where the boat docked yesterday there wasn't much posting going on. But the gentle rocking of the boat does make for nice napping. Now we are on our way to St. Petersburg and somewhat in the middle of nowhere so the internet connection is spotty, at best. My posting about the Kremlin will have to wait until another day because uploading pictures is next to impossible.

We had a little talk about life in Russia and it was fairly interesting. No housing crash here. If you can get a mortgage at all the interest rates are around 15% and the length of the mortgage is only for three to five years. People actually save up to buy what they need. What an interesting concept. Russia also has the lowest national debt of any G20 country, 151.3 billion dollars or 6.8% of their Gross Domestic Product. The United States' is over 14 trillion, as by now just about everyone knows, and this is 98% of our GDP.

Okay, that is it for now. Time to go see a DVD of the high-lights of our trip so far. And I am sure it will be offered for sale. We never buy these, preferring our own distorted memories which are usually much better than reality. And, unlike the DVD, our memories just get better over time. In fact we are now starting to remember trips we have never been on.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

We are currently cruising on a river that I believe to be the Volga going from one city with an unpronounceable name to another. I will let you know more about them in a day or so, but for now I want to almost finish up posting about Moscow. Almost because I still have to post about our visit to the Kremlin.

Right across from where our boat was moored while we were in Moscow was an amusement park for children. It was quite nice in a retro-kind of way. Lots of little rides just the right size for the wee ones who seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Step Right Up And Win A Prize

I am not sure just what this ride, if that was what it was, was. I think it might have just been some kind of a series of tunnels and passageways for children to crawl around.

Or The Setting For A Sci-Fi Movie

No Amusement Park Is Complete Without A Ferris Wheel

And A Merry-Go-Round

I remember going to the Minnesota State Fair when I was just a wee Bar Boy. I was too young to ride in the bumper cars by myself but I was allowed to ride with my older cousin. Every time he turned the wheel to ram another car his elbow hit me in the eye. Ah, yet another fond childhood memory. The bumper cars here were actually bumper swans floating in a large pool. But, of course, the objective remains the same, ram another swan.

Bumper Swans

They must like swans here because they also had a swan-themed merry-go-round.

The Dreaded Black Swan

It really was a nice little park and I am sure if I was a kid I would love to spend an afternoon here. There is a subway nearby so it would be easy to get to as well. The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I were thinking about taking the subway somewhere but the weather looked threatening and rain had been predicted. The amusement park probably would have been more crowded otherwise. Plus it was still extremely hot for Moscow, so I think a lot of people preferred staying home. There was quite a downpour shortly after we got back on the boat.

Later in the evening there was a bus tour of Moscow so we could see it at night. Most cities look much better at night, or at least more interesting. Certainly that is true of New York, and Moscow was no exception.

Christopher Or Peter

I am not sure if I have the story about that statue completely right, but this is what I kind of heard. Apparently the statue was to be a gift to the United States and was supposed to depict Christopher Columbus. We, for some reason, turned it down and so the head was replaced with one of Peter The Great and now it commemorates his turning Russia into a great naval power. Of course Russia, at that time, had no access to anyplace to launch a navy, but that was a small inconvenience. They simply went to war with Sweden and captured a fort that ultimately became the location of St. Petersburg.

This is the University of Moscow. If you can qualify for admittance your education, including board and room, are completely paid for by the government. The University was built during Stalin's rule, so he wasn't all bad.

Moscow University

I was mentioning some of the newer, and quite spectacular, construction that rivals that of the new City Center in Las Vegas. You can't see the full extent of it, but this picture gives you some idea of what it is like. There will be no gambling, of course.

Moscow's City Center

We went back to Red Square and the Kremlin was all lit up, something that our guide said was unusual. And the GUM department store was all lit up as well and looked like a Christmas village.

GUM, All Lit Up

And The Kremlin

Okay, The Mysterious Chinese Woman just left for a cooking class where we are going to learn how to make a blintz or something, and I best join her if I know what is good for me. I will finish this post later and check it for typos as well. Consider this as a first-cut only.

Okay, back again. It wasn't blintzes or whatever, it was pelmeni. And what, you might ask, is pelmeni? Kind of a Russian version of tortellini. Which means they are heavy and served with sour cream and don't have a lot of flavor. Some onion and garlic and salt. The chef said you could spice them up if you made them yourselves with maybe some ginger or hot peppers but that, literally, most of the people in Russia don't even know what those are.

Our Illustrous Chef Demonstrating The Art Of Making Pelmeni

Audience Participation

I guess this would be a good time to let you know that we are having a bit of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness, better known as gastroenteritis, onboard. The Mysterious Chinese Woman has already succumbed to this, but is well on her way to recovery, as you can see.

Who Cares If They Washed Their Hands?

The little notice we got about gastroenteritis said that it is usually not serious but can have more serious implications for older people, which would include about 90% of the people on our boat. From the length of the lines at the luncheon buffets it doesn't as though too many people have been hit with it yet.

Okay, that was the short intermission, now for a few more shots of Moscow at night. And don't ask me what most of these buildings are, because I don't know.

Well, Except For The Enchanted Castle

And The Entrance To Red Square

Unknown, To Me At Least, Buildings

Moscow is quite a lively looking city at night and, again, it would be nice to see more of it. Our guide said we should all come back and visit again, but given the difficulty of getting a visa, or even getting a few extra days tacked on to the one we got for this trip, I doubt if that is likely. I hope they change their policy in time for the 2014 Winter Olympics that are to be held in Sochi, Russia.

Next up, the Moscow Kremlin. Must remember that in Russia the word "kremlin" means castle and you need to specify which one you are talking about.

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Just a short post for now. I am sitting in the Panorama Lounge as our boat is going through a lock. We will be docking in Uglich in about an hour and then heading out for an afternoon walk through the town. And, of course, I will post about that when the time is right.

The Moscow subway is a thing to behold. It was largely built during Stalin's reign and his concept was the the stations should be like underground palaces. Well, maybe not quite, but certainly an improvement over the ones in New York.

The Moscow Subway Map

As you can see, it is quite an extensive system and from what I saw on our bus tour there are subway stops all over the place.

I can't tell you the names of the stations that we got on and off at, but I think they were the first two that were built.

This is the name of the station where we caught our train, but I still couldn't tell you what it was.

You Try To Pronounce It

And the subways are quite gorgeous. The one we entered was the deepest subway in the system and the escalators, which were all working, unlike in New York, were pretty impressive.

Gong Down, Mr. Tyler

There was a big free concert in the park right across the street from the subway so the station was packed with young people coming and going. And still, the floors were immaculate. Again, it must just not be in most people's DNA to throw stuff on the ground, or else the penalty for doing so is so severe you just don't want to risk it.

And No Graffiti

Now how long do you think a painting like that would last in a New York subway before it was defaced.

The other thing is that there is no advertising in either the subway stations or in the subway cars. And the subway cars, like the stations, are immaculate.

Waiting For Our Train

The station where we got off was right by Red Square, the Kremlin, and Gum and it really was like a museum with around fifty bronze statues.

Just One Of Many

The only thing remotely close to defacing the statues was a long tradition of touching the nose of the dog on two of the statues. It is considered good luck to do so, and almost everyone does.

Shiny Noses

I wish we had a few more days in Moscow because I would really love to explore the subway system a bit more and see some different neighborhoods, Maybe hit a few local bars and try a neighborhood restaurant. But, unlike the other two river cruises I was on, there was no option for an extension in Moscow. Nor in St. Petersburg. You get your visa for the duration of your river cruise and there is no leeway on either end for any additional time. A pity, because it is often the stuff you do on your own without guides that is the most interesting. And it isn't because you have to have guides with you. You could go off on your own anytime you wanted to. Oh well, what can you do. It is unlikely that I will ever have the opportunity to return.

We are about to dock so I shall have to say good-bye for now. Much more to post about Moscow so I will try to do that later today after our walking-tour. Or not, depending on how much vodka I consume.

Monday, August 01, 2011

Ah, Moscow, what a revelation. If, like me, your image of Moscow is what you remember from the outdated pictures you often see and the widely held opinion that it is still a repressive and largely communistic country faced with perpetual shortages of consumer goods, you are wrong. It is a vibrant city that has put its past behind it and moved on with a vengeance. New construction, some of it rivaling the new City Center in Las Vegas, abounds. Oh, and all the casinos in Moscow and most other large cities have been shut. Something about them not really producing anything but draining the money from those least likely to afford it. What a novel concept. Meanwhile, in the United States we push lottery tickets and advertise them with the slogan "Just A Dollar And A Dream." And who do you see lining up to buy them? Those who can least afford them. Ah, but I am sure the proceeds go to good causes, although nobody seems to know just what those causes might be.

Anyway, I will start with the Kremlin. It is actually a walled city within a city, not too unlike the Forbidden City in Bejing. The total length of the walls that surround it are approximately 1.8 kilometers in length and within are not just government offices, but a number of churches. Who knew? And Red Square in not in the Kremlin but between it and the GUM department store. Although department store doesn't do GUM justice, it is more of a high-end mall, but better, with nice restaurants and little bars.

Entering Red Square

Through the arch you can see a church that, if it wasn't, should have been the inspiration for the castle in Disney World.

Where Are The Mouse Ears?

And here is the famous GUM "department store," right on Red Square and directly across from the Kremlin.

GUM, By Gum

If you were expecting, as I was, something like the bargain basement of Macy's, would you ever be wrong.

No Fountains In Macy's Basement

GUM is three stories of fancy shops and little restaurants on one side and a what looks like the world's largest Balducci's or Zabar's on the other. No shortages of food in Moscow these days.

A View From Above

Of course my primary interest was, what else, getting a beer.

Mission Accomplished

I thought the beer was reasonably priced, 100 rubles or a little over three dollars. And it was a large one too.

Large And Tasty

Now the Heineken was a bit more, 140 rubles, and for a smaller bottle. But nothing is too good for the Mysterious Chinese Woman.

And They Were Out Of The Russian Beer

They even had an official Apple store here.

Not Rotten To The Core

And they don't have a food court here either, just a bunch of cozy little restaurants tucked away in nooks here and there.

One Of Many

All and all it wasn't anything like I expected. But don't expect to find any bargains, everything was top end and expensive.

Gum, By Gum

Oh, and if you had any misconceptions about Russian women based upon those stereotypes of the overweight peasants in their formless dresses and babushkas, put those to rest as well.

A Couple Of Russian Beauties

The place where I took those two pictures is a spot where wedding parties traditionally go to share a toast as the newly married couple places a lock on a metal tree and then throws the key into the nearby river to assure that their marriage will remain intact as long as the lock remains, well, locked.

Trees Of Locks

It is also an area with a bunch of vendors selling over-priced and somewhat cheesy souvenirs.

We Were Warned Not To Buy

The reason we made a short stop here was because it offered a nice view of a part of the city and the large stadium where the Olympics that we boycotted were held. Ah, remember the good old days of the Cold War? Of course the Russians then boycotted our Olympics in retaliation.

A Lovely View

As you can see, this is a popular spot for tourists to stop and take pictures.

Tourists, As Far As The Eye Can See

The Mysterious Chinese Woman thought the idea of the locks and throwing the key into the river was just sooo romantic.

Oh, How Romantic

Of course she wasn't too happy when I pointed out the nearby dive shop and suggested it catered to husbands searching for their keys.

Our boat has just left Moscow and we are on our way to the next town, Uglich. I have more to post about Moscow, of course, but I will save that for latter. Now I will sit in the lounge at the front of the ship, have a glass or two or three of wine (hey, I am on the Silver Drink Package) and watch the scenery drift by.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Yesterday we took a bus tour around the city of Moscow and had more stuff pointed out than I could possibly remember. A few things stuck in my head, though. First, Mocow is either the most expensive or second most expensive city in the world to live in or visit. Second, it has almost no unemployment. And third, again, like so many cities I visit, remarkably clean compared to many of the larger cities in the United States and, especially, New York. What is it about New York that compels people to treat the streets, parks, and subways as garbage cans? I know I mention this frequently when I post about my travels but, sadly, it is one of the first thngs that always strikes me. But enough of that.

Because I had the foresight to bring rubles with me I was able to get a beer at the little store in the airport after surviving the crush of humanity getting through immigration control.

It Pays To Plan Ahead

The airport is one of several in Moscow although, technically, they are all outside of the city limits. It looks to be fairly modern and certainly no worse than JFK. It looks a lot nicer from outside and is probably newer.

Our Airport

Because it was taking so long for people to get through immigration we had about an hour to kill before everyone made it and we were able to board our bus. I picked a seat where I could keep an eye on my baggage until it was safely loaded.

Bye Bye Bags

Then it was a two hour drive pretty much through the center of Moscow to where our boat was berthed in a canal. Traffic was pretty fierce heading out of the city. Apparently a lot of people have country homes or dachas and, with the intense heat, were eager to escape the city.
But we finally arrived and settled in aboard. Nice rooms and a much larger vessel than the one we were on when we traveled from Berlin to Prague.

Our Sister Ships

We are moored on a canal where, it appears, all of the river cruise boats stay when they are here. There is a nice looking building of some sort across from the parking lot/skating rink, but it is closed for renovations.

Not Sure Of Its Function

If I find out what the building is used for I will let you know.

Looking across the canal isn't that much different than looking across the Hudson from Manhattan and seeing New Jersey.

A Familiar Sight

Well, okay, you don't see too many cruise ships on the Hudson, other than the Circle Line. Maybe one day Viking will offer river cruises in New York.

Well, our Executive Chef has just invited us to lunch and my WiFi is kicking in and out so this may be a good place to stop for now. The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I opted out of today's optional tours because there is a little amusement park just s short walk away and we are going to explore that. Then tonight we have a Moscow by Night tour that should be quite interesting. And, of course, I still have a lot to post from yesterday's bus tour. I will try to get to that later this afternoon. Now off for a bit of a nosh. But in the meantime, I will let this little fellow haunt your memories.